Pleading Love
by just-your-average-kid
Summary: Okay, so here it is: What if Bella didn't jump of the cliff, but Edward came back as he said he would've in New Moon to beg her to take him back? Read to find out what happens!
1. Chapter 1

Twilight Fan Fiction: A plead of love

By: that kid with too much free time, Justine

Chapter 1:

I decided that today would be a good day to clean the house that I'd been neglecting for so long. Charlie was out fishing like any other Saturday, which left me to myself. Normally, I would be spending this time with my best friend, Jacob Black (being alone made my mind wander into places I wish it would not go), but after this morning, I figured it would be best to stay by myself.

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We had been in his shabby garage not two hours ago, talking and laughing together as always. My personal sun seemed to be in a good mood today, shining a bit brighter, and I welcomed the new warmth eagerly.

Jacob stopped his kidding around momentarily to look at me with a probing expression. It made me wonder what he saw, looking at me.

"You're really pretty today." He said, answering my unspoken question.

I wondered how long he'd wanted to say that for.

I couldn't help but blush slightly. "Thanks, Jake." I replied, turning my attention to the warm soda in my hands.

When I looked back up, Jacob was still staring at my face wordlessly.

I let the silence linger until it became too uncomfortable.

"What?" I finally demanded, my self-consciousness getting the better of me.

"I've never seen you blush," he said matter-of-factly, "it's a good look for you."

His words made my face fall.

Jacob hadn't been the first one to comment on my blushing.

Diverse images ripped through my mind simultaneously: a warm, grassy meadow filled with wildflowers, a towering white mansion, deep within the forest that encroaches the little town of Forks, and two smoldering golden eyes, filled with nothing but warmth and love. These were all painful memories of someone I did not want to think of, or rather, a whole family of someones I did not want to think of. The agony pierced my frail body like a cutting-edge knife, and I gripped my stomach tightly with both hands to hold myself together, breathing in and out deeply. For Jacob's sake, I tried to keep my tears bottled up, with no avail.

"Hey, Bella, don't cry. What'd I do?" he said, realizing that I was trembling and overflowing with tears.

I couldn't stop the agonizing memories from flooding through my head: A perfect crooked smile that always left me breathless, silky disheveled bronze hair that my fingers wove greedily through, and three words whispered gently into my ear: I love you.

I cried non-stop for several minutes until my eyes ran dry; all the while Jacob attempted to calm me with soothing words that I didn't hear.

That's when I decided to return home and keep myself occupied by cleaning the house while Charlie was out. I figured that if I was going to have one of those days where I would randomly burst into tears at any given moment, it was best to be alone.

On my way home from La Push, I noticed a large sign painted ostentatiously onto a billboard near the highway. The reason it attracted my attention was because it read: Bella, I'm sorry.

It was painted it a perfect, elegant script that looked oddly familiar. But, I obviously knew it was just an advertisement, and had nothing to do with me personally, so I continued on my way, wondering what kind of company would promote their product by writing "I'm sorry" on a billboard.

When I finally got back to Charlie's, I saw a single red rose, which lay gracefully on the kitchen table. I didn't remember that being there this morning, and there was no note attached; it was just there. I picked it up curiously to put it in water. The stem was unexpectedly cold, as though the last person to have handled it had kept it in a freezer or something, or perhaps the last person to have carried it was…

No. I would not let myself think such things. My eyes were already watering as I placed the flower in a vase and went to begin cleaning to try and get my mind off _him_.

No sooner had I poured detergent into the washing machine, I heard three soft knocks on the front door.

_Maybe I forgot something at Jake's_, I thought curiously as I trudged to the door. _I have to show him I'm doing better_, I decided, wiping away the last of my tears and spreading a wide grin on my face as I opened the door.

Little could've prepared me for what stood on the other side.

My smiled slowly dissolved as my whole body grew weak.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

**Bella POV: **

I wasn't quite sure what to make of the illusion on my doorstep.

For a brief moment I didn't even recognize the hallucinatory boy. He was tall, slender but very well-built, and extremely pale; with tousled bronze hair and dark circles shading the contours of his liquid topaz eyes, which unsuccessfully hid the deep remorse and anguish that filled them. The unnatural beauty in his face was twisted in what could only be the familiar misery that I knew all too well.

"Oh no…" I said, in a distressed tone that was barely a whisper. I had had this dream before, and it wouldn't be long before the angel on my doorstep vanished into thin air.

My knees gave out under me and I swerved in place, beginning to tip over.

He caught me swiftly in his stone grasp before my head could hit the ground, and held me close to his chest. Only then did he finally speak.

"May I come in?" he asked uncertainly, fighting back what could only be one of his breathtaking smiles.

I couldn't speak so I just nodded slowly and let him support my weight and drag into the house.

He sat me down in the living room on the shabby little couch, and placed himself next to me.

"Bella…I…" he began slowly.

The way his melodic and unintentionally seductive voice said my name made me break out of my trance, and I was able to think clearer.

My eyes filled with tears and blurred my vision. _What a stupid reaction_, I thought sullenly, _now I can't see his face_.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to say through hysterical sobs.

"Oh Bella, where do I even begin?" he asked in exasperation. His cool fingers brushed the tears from my eyes, but the second those tears were gone, new ones began to fill the empty space. He sighed.

I did not answer, although I had gained enough composure to sit quietly and listen.

"Bella, I owe you an apology. No, naturally I owe you much, much more than that. But, nonetheless, I'll still say it. I'm so terribly sorry. I can only imagine the hurt I have caused you, and for that, I'll never be able to forgive myself, not if I live a million years."

He stopped, as though searching for words in order to continue, and I took that opportunity to speak for the first time.

"You only thought to apologize six months after you left?" I asked quietly, my voice unable to handle anything higher than a whisper. I wasn't angry at him, I was just shocked. I didn't remember this part of the dream.

"No!" he very nearly screamed in horror. "No, you don't understand." He began to talk very quickly, his sentences slurring together a little bit. I had to listen very closely to catch what he was saying. "Bella, last September, I left to save you. I didn't want all of this for you; you could do so much better than Me. For six months I managed to stay away, but it was getting to be too much for me; I can't live without you in my life. Seeing the pain on your face when I left you was the hardest moment of my life, and I couldn't bear to have that image as my final memory of you." He stopped to catch his breath.

"You left to…save me?"

"Yes, I did. And it was the worst mistake of my life. Oh please, Bella, if only I had known that this decision would lead me almost killing myself in result of the deep, dark, depression that's been lingering these past few months. All I can do now is beg you to take me back, to forget those times and start over together." He smiled crookedly and moved closer to me, holding my hand with one of his and touching my cheek lightly with the other.

My heart spluttered frantically at his touch (a familiar habit), but I didn't know what to say.

"But…you didn't…want me…anymore…" I persisted.

"That was all a lie to get you to let me go. I hoped that if you thought that I had moved on, maybe you would too. Obviously, I was wrong, and I'm glad. I love you, Bella, and I don't want you to be with anyone else besides me. You need my protection, and I need you." He wrapped his arms around my in a gentle hug. What else could I do but hug him back, all the while taking in his glorious scent, and praying for this dream to never end.

I moved away to look at his face, to trace his perfect features with the tips of my fingers. "I wish it were real…" I whispered longingly, in an inaudible tone that I knew he could hear.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm asleep now, and when I wake up, you'll be gone, and I'll have to face another dreaded day on my own." This reality brought a new horror to my mind; waking up without Edward, again. I began to hyperventilate, the hole in my chest aching and throbbing at the thought.

He could see the panic growing in my eyes, and laughed gently.

"You're not asleep Bella. All of this is really happening. I'm here, me, Edward, and I love you. And I'll never leave you again, not as long as I live and breathe."

A new theory suddenly came to mind, the only understandable reason why he would ever come back. I knew very well he didn't actually love me anymore, so it was the only excuse.

"This is a test, isn't it?" I said, looking at him. "A test to see if I've moved on yet-"

"—Bella what are you talking about?" he asked, confusion coloring his tone.

My face grew wary and I stood up, unable to control my disbelief.

"You've come back to test me; to see if I've moved on or not; to see if I've forgotten you yet. And if you find that I haven't moved on, then you'll know that you haven't been away long enough, and you'll leave again, only to return in another six months, to test me again."

He looked like he wanted to object but I pressed on, angry tears rolling down my cheeks.

"How could you do this to me Edward? Do you have any idea, any clue, as to what it's been like for me?! How can you be so…so…cruel to come back, and to say you love me, only to disappear again afterwards, and leave me in the dust, again?" The tears were flowing uncontrollably and I only realized after that I was in fact screaming.

"You are a monster." I whispered, which left Edward looking as though someone had just punched him in the stomach.

**Edward POV: **

Hesitantly, I walked up the familiar steps leading to Bella's doorstep. I could already smell her; her glorious freesia scent that used to make my mouth water drifted through the dry air around the house. It made me feel strangely at ease, a feeling I hadn't come across in nearly six months. It was a feeling I missed, a feeling of … home.

I gulped back the lump in my throat as I pressed my shaking fingers against the doorbell, taking a small step back.

_I'm out of my mind_, I thought to myself, _there's no way she'll take me back after what I've done to her. _

My sensitive hearing picked up Bella's soft footsteps walking towards the door.

_It's not too late to turn around and leave_, I continued, half-expecting myself to chicken out at the last minute.

_No_, I told myself firmly, _I have to see her. I can't live without my Bella; I need her back in my life._

The doorknob was turning.

If I could sweat, I would've; if my pulse could quicken, it would've. If I had the ability to show any signs of my nervousness, I would've. But, being a vampire, I couldn't. So, as my one and only love opened the door, all I could do was stand there with the most tense and pained expression on my face. Her cheerful smile dropped instantly when she saw me, her eyes appraising me a couple of times before her body became limp.

Bella's expression was heartbreaking: fear, longing, and worry were the first words that popped into my mind to describe it.

She looked different since the last time I had seen her; her hair fell limply to her shoulders, her once-soft, pale cheeks were colorless and altogether lifeless. She looked like a ghost, a ghost without a reason to live.

"Oh no…" she muttered softly before losing her balance and tipping over.

I couldn't help but smile as I caught her easily and held her close.

_Same old Bella_, I thought to myself, _still can't keep her balance on even a flat surface._

I had forgotten how warm her skin was against mine, and I took a moment to breathe in her perfect scent before speaking.

"May I come in?" I asked uncertainly, my uneasiness resurfacing as I considered going inside and talking to her.

Bella seemed to be in shock at the very sight of me, but nevertheless, she nodded her head slowly and let me carry her into the house and onto the couch.

I didn't know what to do; she was staring at me with a frightened, distressed look on her face. It nearly broke my heart just looking at it.

"Bella…I…" What could I say to make things right? What words could I possibly use to describe my mistake to her?

Only when I said her name did she break out of her trance-like state and start to cry.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as the tears poured uncontrollably down her face.

I saw how much pain seeing me brought to her, and I sighed, aching to comfort my sobbing angel, but I resisted the urge to touch her. I wasn't sure how she felt about me anymore, so I kept to myself and spoke as soothingly as I could.

"Oh Bella, where do I even begin?" I said in exasperation, and after a minute of watching her tear-stricken face, I couldn't help but try to brush the tears from her eyes with my fingertips, only to watch the empty space refill in an instant.

"Bella," I began, "I owe you an apology. No, naturally I owe you much, much more than that. But, nonetheless, I'll still say it. I'm so terribly sorry. I can only imagine the hurt I have caused you, and for that, I'll never be able to forgive myself, not if I live a million years." I stopped, looking for the right words to continue, but what else could I say?

Bella surprised me by speaking for the first time.

"You only thought to apologize six months after you left?" she whispered.

"No," I very nearly yelled, horrified that such a thought would cross her mind, "you don't understand." My nervousness made me speak very quickly, and I pitied Bella's poor human ears for having to work hard to comprehend what I was saying. "Bella, last September, I left to save you. I didn't want all of this for you; you could do so much better than Me. For six months I managed to stay away, but it was getting to be too much for me; I can't live without you. Seeing the pain on your face when I left you was the hardest moment of my life, and I couldn't bear to have that image as my final memory of you."

I stopped to catch my breath, which I knew was completely unnecessary, but I was much too anxious to think rationally at the moment. Whatever Bella was expecting to hear from me, it certainly wasn't that. She looked utterly astonished by my words, and I wasn't sure whether or not she believed them. These were the times when I desperately wished I could read her mind, and know her exact thoughts.

"You left to…save me?" she asked perplexedly.

"Yes, I did. And it was the worst mistake of my life. Oh please, Bella, if only I had known that this decision would lead me almost killing myself in result of the deep, dark, depression that's been lingering these past few months. All I can do now is beg you to take me back, to forget those times and start over together."

I moved closer to her and took her hand in mine, slowly moving my other hand to rest on her cheek.

I heard her pulse quicken at my touch, and I smiled my old crooked smile that she used to love so much.

_Same old Bella_, I thought.

She looked at me with a curious expression. "But…" she whispered, "You didn't…want me…anymore…"

I knew that I would've had to explain this part eventually.

"That was all a lie to get you to let me go, love. I had hoped that if you thought that I had moved on, maybe you would too. Obviously, I was wrong, and I'm glad. I love you, Bella, and I don't want you to be with anyone else besides me. You need my protection, and I need you."

I could see the longing in her eyes, and I wrapped my arms around her in a gentle hug. I had to be very careful with my actions around Bella; one false move and I could theoretically kill her.

I was overjoyed when she hugged me back, placing her warm hands on my back. It was a relief to be able to hold her in my arms once more, and know that I could protect her from the evils of the world.

She moved back to study my face, the same longing expression coloring her features.

"I wish it were real…" she whispered sadly, touching my face with her delicate fingers.

What could she possibly mean by that? I asked her so much.

"I'm asleep now, and when I wake up, you'll be gone, and I'll have to face another dreaded day on my own." She said as she began to hyperventilate in _fear_.

Fear. Fear of losing _me_, again, which meant that there might still be hope of her ever loving me again.

I laughed lightly.

"You're not asleep Bella. All of this is really happening. I'm here, me, Edward, and I love you. And I'll never leave you again, not as long as I live and breathe."

For a split second, she appeared to have believed me, and I smiled again.

Suddenly, there was a new tension filling the atmosphere of the room. Her eyes sparked and lit up with intuition as she spoke.

"This is a test, isn't it?" she said. "A test to see if I've moved on yet—"

"—Bella what are you talking about?" I asked. Usually, I could pretty well pick up on where her ideas were going, but I was definitely lost this time.

"You've come back to test me;" she clarified, standing up out of the reach of my grasp, "to see if I've moved on or not; to see if I've forgotten you yet. And if you find that I haven't moved on, then you'll know that you haven't been away long enough, and you'll leave again, only to return in another six months, to test me again."

I couldn't fathom that this is what she thought the actual reason was behind my return. I could see it in her face; she believed every word of what she was saying. Her words hit me like a car into a brick wall, and I would've stopped her ludicrous thinking, if she hadn't continued to speak, angry tears now rolling down her fair cheeks once more.

"How could you do this to me Edward? Do you have any idea, any clue, as to what it's been like for me?! How can you be so…so…cruel to come back, and to say you love me, only to disappear again afterwards, and leave me in the dust, again?" she screamed.

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. Bella thought I was back to check and see if she was over me yet.

I didn't think there was a feeling that was worse than living without Bella.

The very fact that she thought so little of me, the way she looked at me now, with disbelief and horror, make me realize. This feeling was worse.

Her final words were the ones that dragged my over in remorse.

"You are a monster." she whispered.

About one thing she was certainly right: I was a monster; a horrible, evil, selfish monster, who hurt the only girl I ever loved, and made her think that I would return home just to play games with her pain. I couldn't control my face, so I had no idea what she saw there, but judging on the way I felt, I could only imagine the broken expression that must've resided there.


	3. Chapter 3

_Recap (last sentence from each POV):_

_Bella POV:__ "You are a monster." I whispered, which left Edward looking as though someone had just punched him in the stomach._

_Edward POV: __I couldn't control my face, so I had no idea what she saw there, but judging on the way I felt, I could only imagine the broken expression that must've resided there._

Chapter 3:

**Bella POV:**

"Bella, you have every right to think that what I did was monstrous, but please,"—he got down on his knees and took my hands in his—"I would never, ever purposely hurt you by falsely stating I love you if I didn't. How can I make you understand that I couldn't go away again if I tried? These passed few months have been a torment for me; I never once stopped thinking of you. That's why I'm here now, on my knees, begging you to…" he trailed off, suddenly looking alarmed. "Will you forgive me; I mean, can you still love me after all that has happened?"

I slowly kneeled down to his level. He looked immensely panicked, and I realized that this idea must really scare him. His glorious angel's face was inches from mine, trying to sustain an unconcerned face, but I saw the mass of fear behind his pretenses, and sighed. "Edward, even though I thought you didn't want me anymore, never once did I stop loving you. And I always knew that I would never move on, because there will never be anyone I want more than you."

If Edward could cry, he would've been in tears by now. "I truly do not deserve such kindness." He said happily, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace.

"But can you forgive me?" he whispered into my ear.

For a moment I could not answer. Could I? Could I really move forward and pretend that Edward hadn't broken my heart and left me for six months? Was it right to accept his apology so easily and forget the past? But the biggest question was: Was I strong enough to say no?

Edward waited patiently for my reply, sighing with joy every now and then, and then I remembered his words: _"I truly do not deserve such kindness."_ That gave me an idea.

"You're absolutely right, Edward," I said, pulling away from his grasp to sit back down on the couch, but taking his hand instead and pulling him with me.

"Right about what?" he asked suspiciously.

"That you don't deserve such kindness. I should be making this a lot harder for you."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning you shouldn't be able to get off so easily. I should have to test you, to see if you truly mean what you say.

Edward rolled his eyes. "When will you learn that I _do_ mean what I say?"

"When you pass my tests." I replied, a wicked smile spreading across my face at the possibilities of the things I could get him to do to prove his love to me.

"And what would these tests compose of?" he asked, overtaken by his curiosity no doubt.

"Hmmm…" I thought. What would I have him do? Different ideas went through my mind, until I decided that he shouldn't have to do anything _too_ gaudy.

"I'm waiting." He teased. Yes, his curiosity was definitely getting the better of him.

"Okay," I said, finally making up my mind, "Edward, you have three tasks to complete, and in order to win me over, you must accomplish them all in the next three days. Here's what you have to do.

"Firstly, you must spend a quality afternoon with Charlie, explaining to him exactly why you have returned, while stating, of course, how much you love me." I smiled sweetly. Edward immediately stiffened when I mentioned Charlie's name. This was probably going to be a difficult task for him, but I knew he would do it for me, because deep down, I already knew that Edward still loved me, I just wanted proof that he really would do _anything_ for me. Not to mention this was much more fun. These were the times when I loved how he couldn't read my mind.

"Secondly," I continued, "you must declare your love for me in two public places. And thirdly…" I started to blush at what I was about to say. Surely he must have known that this request would come back to haunt him.

"Thirdly…" Edward compelled, an amused expression playing on the corners of his lips.

"You have to change me into a vampire." I finished, taking a deep breath and looking into his eyes to gauge his reaction. A sly smile danced across my face, daring him to object to the third one.

Edward's eyes were tight and his face remained emotionless as he assessed his tasks mentally. Finally, he smiled gently.

"Alright then," he said, "if this is what I must do to get you back, then I will start as soon as possible."

His calmness toward all three missions was very suspicious.

"You don't have any problems with any of them?" I asked warily.

"Well, I'm certainly not looking forward to my afternoon with Charlie, but for you, I'd do anything." He answered, flashing his perfect crooked smile and scattering my thoughts.

"Alright then," I managed to say as I put my mind back together, "You're first task is tomorrow."

And with that, we got up and I walked him to the door.

Before leaving, he kissed my forehead.

"I love you Bella, and you'll find out just how much," he whispered into my skin. "Once and for all."

And he was gone.

**Edward POV:**

I fell to my knees and grasped her hands in mine. I felt absolutely no shame whatsoever in begging; she just _had_ to comprehend the frivolity of her words.

"Bella, you have every right to think that what I did to you was monstrous, but please, I would never, ever purposely hurt you by falsely stating I love you if I didn't. How can I make you understand that I couldn't go away again if I tried? These passed few months have been a torment for me; I never once stopped thinking of you. That's why I'm here now, on my knees, begging you to…" A new thought suddenly occurred to me, forcing me to leave my sentence trailing. "Will you forgive me; I mean, can you still love me after all that has happened?" I asked in alarm.

For a moment, she looked taken aback. Slowly, she kneeled down to my level and stared into my eyes. I tried to keep a relatively calm disposition, but the idea of Bella not being able to love me anymore terrified me. I think she saw through my pointless pretenses. "Edward," she said seriously, "even though I thought you didn't want me anymore, never once did I stop loving you. And I always knew that I would never move on, because there will never be anyone I want more than you."

I had seen people cry in countless plays and movies with joy, and I never really understood why such a thing would occur. Usually, when someone was crying, it was because they were extremely sad, and it never made sense for anybody to shed a tear from being happy.

But the feeling of true joy and bliss that coursed through my veins was so staggering that I thought that if I actually had the ability to cry, I would've at this particular moment. I had never felt more human before, and it made me feel even closer to Bella.

"I truly do not deserve such kindness." I managed to say through my invisible tears, wrapping my arms around her once more in a tight embrace. "But can you forgive me?" I whispered into her ear, the other part of my question now hanging out in the open.

Bella took a long time answering. I could almost hear the gears in her head turning, but for once I did not grow impatient with her human slowness; I just stayed kneeled down in our hug, enjoying her warm skin and delectable freesia scent.

"You're absolutely right, Edward," she finally said, taking my hand and pulling me to sit with her on the couch.

"Right about what?" I asked suspiciously.

"That you don't deserve such kindness. I should be making this a lot harder for you."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning you shouldn't be able to get off so easily. I should have to test you, to see if you truly mean what you say."

I resisted the urge to laugh, and settled for simply rolling my eyes. "When will you learn that I _do_ mean what I say?"

"When you pass my tests." she clarified, a wicked smile flashing across her exquisite face. Now I really wondered what was going on in her head.

"And what would these tests compose of?" I asked, my curiosity leaking out by the gallons.

"Hmmm…" she thought, scrunching up her nose like she did when she was deep in thought. Although I loved that cute little expression, my interest in what she would decide was just itching for her to press on.

"I'm waiting." I teased, smiling when I broke her "perfect" focus.

"Okay Edward," she began, "you have three tasks to complete, and in order to win me over, you must accomplish them all in the next three days."

_Ha. What could be easier?_ I thought excitedly to myself.

"Firstly, you must spend a quality afternoon with Charlie, explaining to him exactly why you have returned, while stating, of course, how much you love me."

I stiffened at the mention of Charlie's name. It was ridiculous of me to react in such a way; after all, I was a vampire, why should I be afraid of my love's father? Nevertheless, I was sure that this was going to be the most difficult task to accomplish, seeing as how Charlie didn't really fancy me much _before_ I left. I shuddered at the thought of what he must think of me now. It worried me that these were the kinds of tasks she had thought of. Maybe I was wrong; maybe they wouldn't be so easy…

"Secondly, you must declare your love for me in two public places."

I relaxed as my mind automatically began weeding out different possibilities; a restaurant, a park, a shopping mall? All good suggestions, but not quite flamboyant enough for my tastes.

"And thirdly…" she continued, pulling me from my thoughts. She caught my attention by starting to blush.

"Thirdly…" I compelled, chuckling at whatever it was that had her blushing.

"You have to change me into a vampire." She finished, looking at me mischievously.

_Ah, so that's what she's getting at_, I thought to myself.

Well, I certainly was not about to turn her into a vampire just to win her love back. But, knowing me and my uncanny ability to sway Bella's emotions with a single stare, I would hopefully be able to weave my way out of that one, at least temporarily. My main concern at the moment was what I was going to say to Charlie. I knew she was waiting for me to object to her third request, but I decided that now was not the appropriate time to argue with my loved one.

"Alright then," I said, "if this is what I must do to get you back, then I will start as soon as possible."

Bella did a double-take. Obviously, what she had been planning to say, or rather, retort, to my protests against her becoming a vampire, no longer applied.

"You don't have any problems with any of them?" she asked suspiciously.

I knew perfectly well which task she was referring to, but I decided to have fun with her while the opportunity was in reach.

"Well, I'm certainly not looking forward to my afternoon with Charlie, but for you, I'd do anything." I answered simply, flashing a smile.

"Alright then; you're first task is tomorrow." She concluded.

I took those words as a parting command, and when I got up to leave, she followed me to the door.

Before leaving, I quickly kissed her forehead.

"I love you Bella, and you'll find out just how much," I whispered softly into her skin. "Once and for all."

And then, in one of those quick vampire moves that no human could possibly catch, I made my way back home to plan for the coming days.

Chapter 4 will be entitled: The First Task

**A/N: Come on guys! I love writing new chapters, and reviews are what persuade me to post them. Tell me what you think!**

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	4. The First Task

_Recap (last sentence from each POV):_

_Bella POV: __And he was gone. _

_Edward POV:__ And then, in one of those quick vampire moves that no human could possibly catch, I made my way back home to plan for the coming days. _

Chapter 4: The First Task

**Edward POV: **

The night passed in a blur. Alice had foreseen everything that would happen between Bella and me that afternoon and she graciously offered to help me put together something to say to Charlie. But as the morning light began to shine over the little town of Forks, my nervousness grew to the point of insanity.

_I can't do this_, I thought, _he hates me. What am I supposed to say?_

If at all possible, morning passed by even quicker, and before I knew it, it was time to accomplish the dreaded Task 1. It was the first time that Alice had ever seen my innate calm so shaken, and before I could object, she offered to drive me to Charlie's. Bella was out for the day running errands or something like that; all I knew is that she wouldn't be in the house while Charlie and I were.

No Bella to protect me from whatever rage bubbled and broiled inside her father's mind.

We arrived in front of the house in record time.

_Maybe Bella was right; maybe we do drive a little too fast_, I wondered as I opened the door, desperately trying to keep myself composed.

Alice gave me a reassuring smile.

"Can you see how this is all going to turn out?" I asked her.

Alice closed her eyes for a moment, trying to see the outcome of the afternoon.

She sighed. "If all goes according to plan, you should be able to walk out of there alive. But you know just as well as I do that the future isn't set in stone. Good luck." And with that, my dear sister drove away at top speed, leaving me alone on the sidewalk.

_It's all for Bella, it's all for Bella, it's all for Bella… _I repeated over and over to myself as I rang the doorbell and heard the booming of Charlie's footsteps (his were much louder than Bella's) heaving himself off the couch and to the door.

_He must be busy with his game; maybe I should come back another time…_

_No. I can't back out now. This is what Bella wants me to do for her. And besides, he's just a weak human man…_

Charlie opened the door.

…_in charge of the one I love, and he hates my guts. _

For a good moment, Charlie had the same reaction as Bella did yesterday.

He looked utterly stunned to see me standing there, his eyes raking me over a couple of times, probably deciding whether or not it was really me.

I knew he had snapped out of his trance when his eyes narrowed and filled with black abhorrence.

"Cullen," he spat, making my name sound like that of a dirty creature.

"Bella's not here, is she?" I asked innocently.

"No, and even if she was, I wouldn't let _you_ see her." He said icily, turning to close the door.

"That's good," I continued, making him pause. "I wanted to talk to you."

He was obviously not expecting me to want to talk to _him_, but nevertheless, he grudgingly let me in, and led me to the living room. He offered me the very same seat I had sat in just yesterday with Bella, and muted his game.

"This had better be good." He mumbled, taking his seat across from me, glaring at me the whole time.

I cleared my throat. _Just a weak human…just a weak human…_

"Charlie," – I glanced at his disapproving sneer – "Sir," I corrected quickly, "I don't really know where to begin."

"Why are you here?" he asked impatiently, acid practically leaking out of his mouth.

"Because I've made a terrible mistake," I confessed simply, "and I want the chance to explain myself and beg forgiveness."

"Too late." He muttered, starting to get up.

"Will you please let me explain?" I almost begged.

He sat back down again. "Fine, but make it fast." He said reluctantly.

"Well, as you know, last September, my family left Forks, and I left Bella."

Charlie's frown grew more pronounced.

"I loved her, I loved her so much, and when I left, I still loved her, possibly more than before." I continued.

"Then why did you leave in the first place?" he demanded.

"Because I never thought that I was the right kind of guy for her. You, yourself, never approved of me, and my family is very…different. But, you see, I loved her so much, that I was willing to let her go, with hopes that she would find someone better than me…"

"And then what about you?" he cut me off again. I knew Charlie wasn't being impolite on purpose, or maybe he was. But in any case, I tried to be patient with him, because it was just the hostility towards what I did talking. This was just as hard for him as it was for me, and I understood that.

"Well, I never would've stopped loving her, but my original plan was to stay away for a very long time so that she could get over me and move on with her life…"

"And what happened to that plan?"

"Well, I was miserable, for lack of a stronger term. There's an old saying that goes "you never know what you have until it's gone." I didn't quite realize what a big part of my life Bella was, and when she was gone, it was like part of my life was missing; part of my essential makeup that keeps me alive."

"What are you saying then, Edward?" Charlie's pronunciation of my name came out as a snarl, but his expression grew more and more curious with every word that I spoke, though the original resentment was still clearly present.

I cleared my throat again. "What I'm saying is that I made an awful mistake, one I will regret as long as I live, and I sit before you today as a heart-broken man who begs the forgiveness of his one and only love's father before her own."

If Charlie had looked bewildered before, it was nothing compared to now. I saw him cringe slightly when I called Bella my 'one and only love', but it was obvious that, despite his better judgments, he couldn't help but feel sympathetic toward what I had suffered in the last six months. He _was_ only human after all, an aspect I kept reminding myself of.

Charlie got up and began pacing the room. Whenever he would look over at me, the crease in his brow deepened, obviously assessing very hard what I had told him. For several minutes he seemed deep in thought, probably deciding to either throw me out of his house or forgive me. I thought it best to stay out of his thoughts; it was much more respectful.

Compassion most likely won him over, because when he finally spoke, he didn't yell or scream, he just spoke.

"You know Edward," he said, still pacing the room, not really looking at me, "My wife left me, twenty years ago."

Why was he telling me this? I eyed him curiously. "Yes, sir."

"And there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish she would show up on my doorstep, like you have today, and beg for my forgiveness and want to come back home."

Where was he going with this story? I resisted the urge to peek into his mind and continued listening instead.

"If she were to come back, I would eagerly accept any apology and welcome her back with open arms," he persisted, "but, I wouldn't trust her as fully."

He looked at me for the first time since he began to speak. The look in his eyes wasn't hateful or scornful; it was…it was…like he was trying to teach me something.

"You see Edward; all of our actions have consequences. Some of them are good; some of them aren't so good. Your decision to leave Forks and try to get Bella to fall out of love with you came with a severe repercussion: your trustworthiness. Now, I wouldn't blame Bella for taking you back—you were very good to her, and like I said, I would take back my old wife any day—but she'll never trust you as much as she used to, and you're going to have to deal with that."

I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded.

"Naturally though," he said, dismissing his parental voice and replacing it with the previous contempt. "I won't let you off the hook quite so easily with this. I certainly won't trust you ever again, and I'll always loathe you for what you did to my daughter. And don't expect me to let you in my house for more than a few hours at a time."

His attempt to sound mean and threatening after being so sympathetic was interesting. I suppressed a smile.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I agreed seriously.

"Good." He said, picking up the remote control to settle back into his game.

I stood up to leave, but Charlie called me back.

"Is the rest of your family back now too?' he asked.

"Yes; Esme found Los Angeles very little to her liking." I answered politely.

"And Alice too…" he started.

I nodded. "Yes, Alice is back too."

I couldn't help but steal a glance into his mind for just a minute.

_Good. It'll be good for Bella to spend some time with cheery little Alice. I've missed her…now if only I can get this scumbag out of my living room._

I concealed yet another laugh as I watched his face brighten up at the mention of Alice, and then cloud over once more as his thoughts returned to me. But it didn't matter, because, to some degree, he forgave me. Not only that, but he actually _empathized_ me. I'd say this afternoon was much more than successful.

I smiled as I turned to leave for the second time.

"Goodbye, Charlie." I muttered sincerely.

"Goodbye." He called absently, already absorbed in his game.

_Don't come back…_ he said mentally.

Alice was already waiting for me with the car when I stepped outside.

She leaned over on the seat to give me a bone-crushing hug.

"I knew you could do it!" she squealed. "Step 1 complete!"

"Yeah," I agreed, feeling more confident every minute.

The hardest part was over. On to Step 2, declaring my love for Bella in two public places.

Everything was set; all I had to was wait for tomorrow.

Chapter 5 will be entitled: The Second Task

**A/N: Keep those reviews coming guys! They are what convince me that people are actually reading this stuff and want the new chapters.**

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	5. The Second Task

_Recap (last sentence from Chapter 4)_

_Edward POV: The hardest part was over. On to Step 2, declaring my love for Bella in two public places._

_Everything was set; all I had to was wait for tomorrow. _

Chapter 5 – The Second Task:

**Bella POV:**

I woke up this morning with butterflies in my stomach. Today was Edward's day to announce his love for me, twice. 

I could only imagine what kind of extravagant plan Edward had made. The feeling left me both nervous and curious at the same time. 

_I just hope he doesn't make a fool of himself, and me_, I thought as I got myself dressed and ready for school. I couldn't help but wonder how he was ever going to find time to declare himself; after all, I was going to be in school all day. 

_Knowing Edward, he'll find a way_, I laughed to myself, whisking downstairs to get breakfast and then leave in my truck. 

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

There was a strange atmosphere in school. Everyone was huddled in tight clusters, muttering to each other excitedly. The flow of fresh gossip surrounding me was overwhelming, and I hurriedly gathered my coat in my arms and darted for the front door. I had a feeling that whatever the big news was, it included me, for as soon as I entered the building, everybody stopped talking at once to glance at me, only to resume their discussions when I was safely out of hearing range.

I hadn't been the center of attention since I moved to Forks, and ever since I started to hang out with the Cullens, prejudices formed and no one (except for my friends) really talked to me. After the Cullens had left, my attitude took its toll and they got into a habit of ignoring me completely.

I smiled carefully at the huddled students watching me with vigilant eyes, assessing my reactions. Whatever they were expecting to see in my expression clearly wasn't there, and no sooner had I continued walking that they began mumbling to each other once more in disappointed tones.

Curiosity began to get the better of me.

"What's going on?" I asked Angela, who was circled with Jessica, Mike, and Eric.

"Oh," she said, surprised, "you don't know?"

I cocked my head to the side in confusion. "Uhh, no…" I replied hesitantly.

"Uh, come on, Ang, we're gonna be late for class." Jessica said quickly, pulling Angela swiftly by the arm in the wrong direction before I could get any answers. 

Mike gave me an apologetic look before dashing away himself to class, leaving me to my inquisitiveness.

No sooner had I walked into the cafeteria at lunch that I saw what all the fuss was about. 

Edward and Alice Cullen were back in school, occupying that same table they sat at when I first noticed them a year ago, as though they had never even left.

_He wouldn't dare…_ I thought fearfully to myself. _He would not declare himself here, at the high school, of all places._ The last thing I wanted was the enormous scandal of a declaration of love to get everyone's chauvinism up and running. 

I looked around nervously at the mob of students looking back and forth from me to him, obviously hoping that some sort of dramatic scene would take place. Little did they know the show that was about to unfold right before their eyes.

My worst fear was realized as Edward caught my eye and winked, standing up and taking a deep breath. 

I had already begun to blush before he started yelling.

"I LOVE YOU!" In one swift motion, the entire student body had its eyes on Edward, and pen-drop silence followed shortly behind. "I LOVE YOU, ISABELLA SWAN! NOW AND FOREVER!" he screamed peacefully, with no hint of embarrassment or regret in his tone. The certainty of his words spilled and echoed throughout the entire room, making everyone gape at Edward in astonish. He was staring intently at me, more confident and sure of himself than I'd ever seen him. Even from a distance, his golden eyes dazzled me silly.

I had gone over a million times in my head how he would do it, and how I might react in response.

But as he stated the words that I had not heard in so long, my cheeks turned a dark hue of crimson, and my eyes filled with tears. 

_I love you too…_ I wanted to yell back. But I knew that his job was far from over, and I would not allow myself to forgive him until it was. So I just stood very still, as the world around me kept very silent, and let the happy tears flow down my love-stricken face.

Edward's eyes did not leave my face, though he sat back down to chat with Alice.

I felt a hand on my shoulder as the world slowly began to turn once more.

"Come and sit, Bella," came Jessica's giggling voice. It sounded a little too eager to me; too eager to hear the tale behind Edward's outburst.

Of course she'd want to talk to me _now_, after possibly the biggest scrap of gossip that Forks High had ever encountered had just surfaced. Nevertheless, I followed her to the table obediently. 

"Well," Jessica's prying voice began when everyone was seated comfortably around me, "That was unexpected." 

She paused, evidently waiting for me to begin talking on cue, but I wasn't quite out of the trance yet. My cheeks were slowly going back to their normal color, and the same timid, loving smile rested on my lips, though in some part of my brain I was consciously aware that I was no longer looking at Edward.

"Bella?" Jessica called, nudging me playfully.

I snapped back to the reality around me and looked around. "Yea?"

"What was that all about with Edward Cullen?" she asked, as the whole table leaned in probingly to hear my response, as though I was about to reveal a great secret. 

"I guess that's his way of apologizing." I mumbled, feeling all the more embarrassed.

"Apologizing?" Jessica's brown eyes shimmered with interest. "For what?"

"For leaving six months ago." I answered simply. I really did not want to go into any more details about this at the moment, particularly in front of all the people who had been, up to five minutes ago, ignoring me.

"So, how do you feel about him now?" she continued, asking the question I wanted to answer the least.

"I guess I'll have to see how it all pans out." I replied, evading any real answer for now.

Jessica pouted in disappointment at my lack of enthusiasm on the subject matter. 

Angela quickly came to my rescue before she could bombard me with any more questions. "So, what are you guys going to write about for your English Essays?" 

To Jessica's dismay, the new topic spread easily and smoothly throughout the group. I gave Angela a meaningful smile for distracting the crowd with the easy chatter that we all knew and loved. For now, it seemed that there would be no more questions regarding Edward Cullen, but I had a sense that this would be one story that no body would soon forget.

Everyone watched and giggled as Edward took his seat by me in Biology class. I couldn't help but laugh myself as he winked and inconspicuously scooted his chair closer to mine. 

"One down," he said with a grin as the teacher came in and silenced the class, with no immediate avail.

"My Goodness," he commented, "What on Earth has got you all so high-strung?" he paused. "Oh, welcome back, Mr. Cullen."

That sent a roar of laughter throughout the entire room, bouncing off the walls and flat in front of my ever-reddening face. I pulled a textbook in front of my face until the blush died down to only a mild pink. Edward, however, remained unchanging and silent, grinning victoriously all the way. 

After school was over, I noticed that my truck was missing from the school parking lot. Beginning to panic a little, I saw Edward leaning against his shiny Volvo, gazing in my direction. Seeing the alarm in my eyes, his brow creased as I walked over to him.

"Something wrong?" he asked, twining our hands together without looking at them. And old habit; I didn't even realize it until I looked down to avoid being dazzled.

"I can't find my truck. What if it got stolen?"

He laughed gently. "The truck is fine," he said, "Alice brought it back to Charlie's at lunch."

I looked up at him. "Why?"

"Because I thought that maybe you'd like to ride with me." He replied, chuckling as he opened my door.

"You think I'm going to make this easy for you?" I said, determined to stay put, but his topaz eyes beat me to it, and before I knew it, I was seated in the inside of his car, thinking about how much I missed the way it felt to be dazzled. 

"So, I think today is going surprisingly well." He said conversationally.

"Surprisingly?"

"Well, it could've gone a lot worse." He admitted. 

I laughed. "You certainly intrigued Jessica."

"I know, I was into her mind even before I finished announcing it; the way that girl pounces on you is absolutely striking."

I looked at him curiously.

"I wanted to hear your reactions, and the only way to do that is through Jessica, or someone like her." He explained. I knew how he hated stooping to listening to my responses through other people's minds, so my impressions must have been very important to him. 

I suddenly realized where we were for the first time. He was riding the highway all the way up to the main boulevard. 

"Edward, why are you going this way? So many people take this route home from work; you'll get caught in traffic at this hour."

He grinned at me like I was missing something vital. 

Once at the main square he parked his car in front of a nearby building. I had passed it before; its towering monstrosity always caught my attention as it was certainly the tallest structure in all of Forks.

He got out of the car, and I followed him intriguingly.

"Wait here." He said excitedly, disappearing into the building.

I wondered what he could possibly be doing in that building; it was after all nothing more than a simple building, undoubtedly owned by Mr. Salt, the richest man in Washington. Cars whipped past me every second, and scurrying passer-byers surrounded me. I shivered in the dampness of the mist that was falling from above and waited for my love's return.

Suddenly I heard a voice from above and I, along with the hundreds of others on the busy boulevard, looked up to find Edward on the roof of the Salt building, wielding a megaphone. 

_He wouldn't. Not here, on the busiest road in town._

"ISABELLA SWAN," his voice boomed. The curious bystanders stopped their hustling and bustling to listen.

"I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH; I COULD MARRY YOU, SO THAT WE'RE NEVER EVER PARTED! I LOVE YOU. EVERYONE, THAT'S MY LOVE, THE BEAUTIFUL ANGEL BELOW ME." My angel pointed his long finger down at me, and I blushed the same shade of crimson as in the cafeteria, making it obvious who he was talking about. 

Everyone around me chorused a line of "aww"s and gave me encouraging smiles. Edward stared at me with the same loving expression as in the cafeteria. It made him look so sure, so confident, so…so…in love?

I grinned back up at him and motioned with one finger for him to come back down. 

He was at my side in a flash, looking very happy with himself. No one had moved an inch, and I felt all two hundred eyes on us, evaluating what I would say. For the good of humanity, and for Edward's pure enjoyment, I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his chest.

His cool arms wound around my waist and I felt his lips at my neck.

"I mean what I say." He whispered, tickling my ear in the process. "Always and forever."

The satisfied crowd unfroze and continued on their way, unquestionably speaking to one another about the episode they just witnessed. 

To make matters even more embarrassing, a news crew for one of the local News Stations arrived on the scene. Stunned, I watched an overly-coiffed woman with a large microphone step out of the van, followed closely by a man supporting a camera that looked twice his weight. I hadn't known that there had been a hidden cameraman there the whole time, filming everything that Edward had just done. 

I stared dumbfounded as the woman rushed in front of us and cued the cameras on.

"I'm Lauren Percival with WLN news," she smiled into the camera, "here with this young man—"

"—Edward Cullen," he clarified, flashing a daring smile of his own. I was the only one on screen who looked like a soggy mess.

"Yes. Edward Cullen here has just performed a most triumphant act; the kind that doesn't often get attempted here in the sleepy little town of Forks. Edward, can you tell us exactly why you were on top of the Salt Building?"

Edward took the microphone sweetly and grinned like the movie star that he was. "Well Lauren, I just love my girlfriend Bella so much that I decided I wanted to declare it to the world."

"Wow," Lauren said in an enthusiasm that was clearly accentuated.

"Yes, let all the Earth know it; I'm in love with her, and if I were more daring, than this certainly would not be the beginning. I would climb Mount Everest if I had to, to make a big enough impression." He said, beaming at me.

"What do you have to say about this, Bella?"

I was still frozen with utter shock, so I didn't know what to say. "I'm…stunned." I managed to say through the humiliation of freezing on camera, pulling Edward against my side and hiding my face in his shoulder.

"Well, there you have it folks," Lauren said, taking the microphone from Edward and wrapping up the segment. "Even in a small town like Forks can you find strong love like this. Edward Cullen has gone to great lengths today to show his loved one he truly cares. I'm Lauren Percival, signing out." And with that, Lauren Percival shook our hands and waltzed back to her truck, which quickly sped away.

"Don't worry; I picked a station that I know Charlie doesn't watch." He whispered. 

I whirred around as soon as the truck was out of sight.

"What was that!" I demanded, flabbergasted.

"You said to declare my love for you publicly. I couldn't think of anything more public than a live broadcast over thousands of television sets."

My knees buckled and I felt as though I would collapse in shock.

I let Edward support my body as he dragged me back to the car.

"You could've told me." I whined as he drove me home.

"I suppose I could've," he agreed thoughtfully, "but you never would've let me do it, and I just love to make life more exciting for the good people of Forks. Now they'll have something to talk about."

"Very funny, Edward." I said dryly, thinking of every person who must listen to the evening news, gaping and laughing as they watched the segment.

"Are you angry with me?" he asked, mistaking my silence with anger.

I sighed. "No. As overly drawn-out as this day was, it was very…"—I looked for the right word—"…sweet."

He grinned from ear to ear and leaned in to kiss me.

It took all the force in my body to push him away. "No, Edward, you've still got one more day of proving to do." He scowled and muttered something unintelligible.

I sighed again. Only one more day of this silly proving business, then we could go back to our regular carefree love. The idea of tomorrow had me bouncing around on the edge of my seat. His last task was to turn me into a vampire. Not that I actually expected him to comply to the request right away, but I had very high hopes that a date would be set for me to join Edward's family…permanently. I smiled into the hazy grey and instinctively twined his cold fingers in mine.

12

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	6. The Dream

A/N: Warning: This is NOT Chapter six, just a little in-between-preface of sorts

**A/N: Warning: This is NOT Chapter six, just a little in-between-preface of sorts.**

**Ps: Writer's Block KILLS! Sorry I haven't updated in like forever. Chapter six is on its way…**

The Dream

**Bella POV:**

I was almost positive that I was dreaming.

For one thing, I was standing in the middle of my old street in Phoenix, yet staring blankly at the small house that Charlie and I occupied in the little town of Forks, which looked oddly bright in the light of the hazy midday sun.

I saw the glint of light coming from the hood of Charlie's cruiser as he pulled into the driveway.

Curious, I walked up to him slowly, watching his expression change as he saw me approaching.

I was not prepared for his reaction to me. He screamed…no…he shrieked; a full body power shriek of terror.

"Dad, what--? I began.

"Stay away from me?" he yelled in fright, backing away and running into his house, slamming the door behind him.

Utterly stunned, I walked next door to where my mother's house stood, and knocked on the door. The same frazzled woman from my past answered, obviously trying to multitask by holding the telephone up to her ear in one hand and mixing a bowl of what looked like cake mix in the other.

When I looked up at her face to smile warmly, she was stricken with what could only be the same fear as Charlie, and the bowl of cake mix clattered noisily to the ground.

My face fell._ Oh no. Not Mom too_. "Mom, it's me. What's--?"

She slammed the door in my face and I heard the vicious bolting of every lock, preventing my entry.

_What's going on?_ I thought as I continued down the deserted road and into the crowded plaza.

The people walking by stared at me in wonder…or perhaps trepidation. Cars veered out of my way in an attempt to avoid crossing my path.

_Why are they afraid of me? _

And then, at the corner of the plaza, I saw, in the same dark-colored cloak as he always wore in the gleaming sunshine, Aro Volturi. He stared bluntly at me with an expression that was hard to decipher from far away, but made no move to approach me.

_He's come to see if I'm still human…_ I guessed, beginning to tremble. _I have to get out of here._

I sprinted as fast as I could around the corner, but he was already there, standing in all his might, waiting for me. I turned the other way and ran again, but no matter where I went, he always beat me there.

I ducked quickly into a small café, and everyone, upon looking at me, dashed out of the restaurant screaming again, leaving me to my confusion and fear.

I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and expected to see Aro at my side, but when I turned around, it was Edward underneath the dark cloak. I let out a deep sigh of relief.

"What's wrong?" he asked, seeing my distressed expression.

"Everyone's running away from me…" I whispered.

He smiled and led me into the washroom, where he turned me to face the mirror.

I gasped when I saw the reflection.

The girl in the mirror's face was ghostly pale, with dark circles under her eyes.

Her eyes… her eyes were a striking shade of red. No matter how many times she blinked, there they were each time she reopened them; that same bright hue. The girl's blue t-shirt was stained with crimson blood that ran from her perfectly rounded chin to her small waist.

Her perfection was absolutely frightening. But what was even scarier was the girl reflecting the image; me.

I looked at Edward in misunderstanding.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, moving to brush his lips against my jaw. "Isn't being a vampire all you thought it would be?"

"But they're all afraid of me." I said.

He shrugged. "You're a monster now," he replied simply, "everyone's afraid of you…"

I stared once more, dumbfounded, at the frightening vampire in the mirror; the bit of sunshine coming through the small window in the washroom cast sparkling rainbows against her skin.

An elderly woman walked briskly into the room to wash her hands.

No thought was even required; I pounced viciously…


	7. The Third Task

Recap (Last sentence from last chapter):

_Recap: An elderly woman walked briskly into the room to wash her hands._

_No thought was even required; I pounced viciously… _

Chapter 6: The Third Task

**Bella POV:**

I awoke screaming to the foggy morning light, trembling. When I was able to calm myself down enough to move, I peered out the window; the overcastting clouds did not look lasting. It was going to be a sunny day.

I groaned, realizing that Edward wouldn't be in school, and slugged unwillingly towards my closet.

My mind whirred at the dream last night; the word Edward had used bounced around my brain: Monster.

_Would I really be like that if I became a vampire?_

_No. Edward wouldn't let me be feared by everyone; he would never allow me to hurt that poor old woman. But still…_

I had not expected Edward's car to be in the driveway when I walked out into the chilly morning light. As a matter of fact, I had barely even noticed it, what with the mess of thoughts going through my head. I had walked straight passed him and began unlocking my truck when I heard the voice that forced me to break my train of thought and turn around:

"I take all the trouble of coming to get you and you don't even acknowledge me?"

I did my best to smile at his fake appall and went over to where he leaned against his ever-shiny Volvo.

"Good morning," I said. He obviously noticed my distraction, for he looked at me with the same frustrated and exasperated expression that I knew all too well.

"I was just thinking about the last thing you have to do today," I clarified, answering his unspoken question.

"Ah," he said, "the changing."

I nodded, deciding not tell him about the dream; I knew if he found out that I had even the slightest fear of being changed, the whole thing would be called off.

He eyed me peculiarly, clearly unconvinced that that was _all_ that was on my mind. He sighed and opened my door for me.

"Do you mind if we skip school today?" he asked. I looked up at the sky; the sun had begun to poke through the thinning clouds.

"Sure," I replied, fastening my seatbelt as he climbed swiftly into the driver's side.

"Good, because there are some things we need to discuss."

And with that, he put the car in Drive and sped off (always too fast) down the winding road.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He shrugged, and for once kept his eyes on the road.

"You'll see," he answered simply, pulling into the parking lot of an unfamiliar building. It was not very tall, but quite wide, and painted vivid colors that gave it a very childlike appearance. The sign in front said "Forks Pre-school."

I cocked my eyebrow as I followed Edward out of the car and over to the fence, where, on the other side, a dozen or so small children played on a jungle gym. I admired their carefree laughter.

Edward did not say anything; he just stared off into the distance, and smiled kindly when one of the children would meet his gaze.

I racked my brain for reasons why Edward would want to bring me here, to a Pre-School, but I came up unsurprisingly blank.

"What are we doing here?" I finally asked.

"Sometimes I like to come here and watch the children play," he answered without looking at me, "and marvel at their never-ceasing curiosity…and know that I'll never have my own…" his sentence trailed at the end.

He finally looked over at me; a deep, ancient sorrow flooding his eyes, which led me to believe that he had been troubled by this for a great many years.

"Don't you see, Bella? Don't you see all the opportunities you're missing by becoming like me? I can't have children. None of us can. How I wish I could have a child that would call me Father, someone I could bring up and call my own. Don't you want that?"

I shook my head. "Not without you." I answered simply, trying to lighten the mood and remove some of the distress that appeared to haunt him so.

"But I want you to be happy," he persisted, turning his golden eyes back to the children running around.

I took his hand and gently pushed his face to look at me with my fingers.

"Edward, all of this –family, life, humanity— it all means nothing to me without you. I don't know how to make you understand that I cannot possibly raise a child pleasurably if you weren't the father. I'd take you over humanity any day."

He did not seem totally convinced.

"Hey," I said, looking at him straight in the eyes, trying my hardest to dazzle him as he did me countless times a day. Clearly, it did not have the same effect. "I love you, do you understand that?"

He smiled. "Yes, I do understand that."

"Then you have to realize that there isn't anything in this world –even children— that I want more than you."

And without a backward glace at the colorful jungle gym, I led him back to the car and got in.

"Can I ask you something?" Edward asked as he sped once more across the highway. The sun poked once-more through the clouds, sending sparks of glitter dancing across his face.

"Of course,"

"You know I love you, right?"

"Yes," I answered, waiting for him to continue.

"And I know you love me, right?"

"Edward, what are you getting at?" How I hated it when he spoke in cryptic little phrases that he knew I couldn't follow.

"Well, I was just wondering why I am going to all the trouble of proving myself to you when you already know that I love you?"

Edward evidently hadn't changed in the last six months; his annoying tendency to over-analyze every situation still stood strong. I struggled for an answer.

"Because," I finally said, proud of the clever retort that my mind had somehow managed to formulate while under the influence of his stare, "Three days ago, you promised me that you would go through all of the tasks. If you back out now, it will show me that you are not a man of your word, and are untrustworthy, and cannot keep a promise."

I figured that was a reasonable answer. He fought back a chuckle and turned his eyes back to the road.

Upon looking at the road myself, I noticed the familiar route and smiled.

"Are we going to the meadow?" I asked, suspicious.

He grinned. "Indeed," he answered simply, arriving at the edge of the shady woods and gliding the Volvo smoothly across the rough ground, coming to a stop.

I jumped eagerly onto his back and, probably noticing my keenness, he promptly started to run.

The exhilarating feeling that I missed so much washed through me as the damp wind ripped through my hair and light streaked passed my eyes like flashes of lightning.

All too soon, our meadow came into view and Edward slowed to a human walking pace. I sighed.

We sat in the warm green grass; and the bright sunshine played off Edward's diamond skin, enough to make me go completely brain-dead.

The radiating beauty he emanated reminded me of my dream, and I sighed heavily.

He gave me a quizzical look.

"What?" I said, wondering if he saw through me.

"Something's on your mind," he said, dazzling me with his confused eyes.

_Yup, he saw._

"Well…I…" I stuttered, losing my train of thought as the overwhelming exquisiteness of his features caught my attention.

"Well?" he urged, sliding closer until our faces were just inches apart. His glorious scent made it even harder to think.

Edward waited patiently for me to put my mind back together, all the while taking my fragile hands in his and marveling at the warmth. I knew he wouldn't rest until I told him.

"I had a dream last night," I started to confess, his head jerking up; there was a compelling curiosity in his eyes that I could not ignore.

"It was very scary…" I said slowly, trying to recall the details as he played unconsciously with my fingers, but never taking face away from mine. "You changed me into a vampire, but everyone was afraid of me – my mother, Charlie – everyone."

He nodded and listened intently as I continued.

"Then you were there, and you said I was a monster…and there was this elderly woman…" I started to cry at the memory of the sweet, innocent old woman in my dream, unknowing and vulnerable. Edward wrapped his arms around me in an attempt to consol me.

"It was just a dream, Bella." He whispered gently. "I would never let you hurt anyone if I changed you, whether it be a helpless citizen, or even Mike Newton."

He smiled crookedly and wiped away the last of my tears with his icy fingertips.

"You never have to be afraid of anything as long as I'm around," he murmured, leaning in to kiss me. my heart thudded unevenly as he began to close the little distance between us.

_Uh oh. Should I let him kiss me before he finishes his task?_

I made an effort to back away, but his sweet breath and liquid topaz eyes settled themselves into my brain once more, and I could do nothing but succumb and enjoy the perfect angel who was mine and mine only.

Any worries or fears I may have had before were all washed away instantly as his kiss took effect. I hadn't felt this light and airy in what seemed like years.

He pulled away and smiled; the very sight nearly caused me to pass out. I had to remind myself to breathe, and it came out in a sharp gasp.

He laughed and pulled me into a hug, kissing my hair.

"I think it's safe to say I'm forgiven." He chuckled, releasing me from his grasp.

"Mostly," I replied slyly, "but don't think this absolves you of your final duty." I reprimanded sternly.

He sighed, and the sound was tired and exasperated.

"If you still wish to join me in the land of the eternally damned, then your wish is my command."

I scowled at his words.

Shall we set a date then?" he asked, making my eyes brighten automatically.

"Yes!"

"Alright, but I'll only change you under one condition?"

I groaned and rolled me eyes. "What?"

"If you marry me first." His eyes twinkled mischievously, making his already-sparkling visage overflow with beauty.

**A/N: I wanted to have the same impasse as Stephenie Meyer would've wanted. Not to say that Bella won't heartily accept her love's proposal, but… well, you'll have to wait and see!**

**REVIEWS ARE ESSENTIAL! THEY'RE WHAT KEEP ME TYPING THIS GOD-FORSAKEN KEYBOARD!**

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